5 Great Gift To Give Summer Idea I

Although Summer is not quite here, I thought it would be fun to look at gifts and things to do this summer.

Summer Classes and Camps.  These can be anything from a couple of hours learning how to create jewelry, knit or crochet, paint, draw, to an active Day Camp for kids that may include hiking, swimming, biking, a day at the playground, or the zoo.  Many of these camps not only welcome but encourage patents to join in the activity as well.

Jo-Ann Fabrics has several Summer Camps for kids from Sewing to other fun activities both educational and fun, that are geared especially for little one.  There are also adult classes available.  This Saturday, June 9th, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Jo-Ann Fabrics is having an open house. Class sign up is 50% off, come on down and see what they have in-store for you or for your little one this Summer.  My class projects will be on display as well.

Jo-Ann Fabrics (Boise, Idaho)

1085 North Milwaukee Street

Boise, ID 83704

Get directions

Milwaukee Marketplace‎

(208) 323-5373

joann.com‎

I try to inject a little humor into things here is a fun and unique gift for the Accident Prone individual in your life, and someone is bound to wind up with a scraped knee. Fortune Bandages

From Toy Splash

This neat Lizard Pool Lounger.

This is neat for a day at the beach.  

From: Designed by Felisa

 

Sea-Water Octopus Compact Mirror

Description:  This compact mirror is beautiful!!! Fantasy blue sparkles fill the foundation of the front side of the compact. I adorned a lovely Octopus to the top center of the compact mirror. Compact has a combination of a smooth feeling along with perfect texture of the adorned metal Octopus. Perfect match for your accesories!!!!

I used a super sealant with to ensure stability of my design on this compact mirror.   100% designed by Felisa

From: The Alchemists Vessel

Elegant Chainmaille Collar in Silver Plate and Black Czech Glass Beads

Description:15-1/2″ long. Truly elegant, slender, slinky, silky silver and black go with everything! Very feminine. Makes a pretty accent to any outfit. May be worn to the office, on an evening out, and with that little black dress. Would make a great birthday present in any of our birthstone glass bead colors.Silver plated wire is hand coiled, cut, beaded and linked in the European 4-in 1 Chainmaille weave to create this simple and elegant chain.

 

Thank you for stopping by and having a look.  The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.

In My Studio – Beginning Jewelry Classes

Hello,

As many of you may be aware, I was offered a Contracted Instructor position at a local Craft Supply store here in lovely Boise, Idaho.  After much thought, weighing the pros and cons of the situation, and the offer, I have decided that it would be in my best interest to not participate in the program.

However, a little enamored with the idea of teaching in a social atmosphere, I have decided to start up my own class.  The complete and solid details have yet to be worked out and right now I am putting feelers out to see if there is any interest in a Beginning Jewelry class.  If response and class / lesson plans go well, or some people would like to continue past the basics, Intermediate and Advanced classes will be offered.  If you’re interested in private lessons those may be taught as well.  I hope to schedule the first class for sometime in June.

Open to the public and all who wish to attend.  Before everybody get’s excited, these classes will not be free.  You will be expected to provide your own tools, materials and a fee will be charged to include class time, forgotten materials (provided from stock on hand), and of course classroom space.  A list of all the materials, where to buy them and their cost will be provided along with printed instructions and a completed projects to take home when class is over.

Beginning Jewelry or Jewelry Basics will cover the very basics, a sample of class instruction may include and will not be limited to:

What is a finding?

– head pin

– eye pin (difference in pins and their uses)

– jump rings (aka O-rings)

– Clasps (spring, Lobster Claw, “S”)

Ear wires (styles and variations) 

Gemstones, Crystals and Glass beads (Birthstones and alternatives)

Opening and Closing Jump rings properly

Using a head / eye pin

Wire vs. Beading Wire or “Tiger Tail”

Wire Wrapping (We may have a special guest to demonstrate another process / form of wire-wrapping)

Threading or Stringing beads

Metals and their composition (Copper, Bronze, Nickel, Sterling)

Design Elements (Fibonacci Numbers, Focal Points, Accent Beads and Caps)

A completed pair of earrings or project made by you to take home and wear!

There are also other projects that may be offered, such as a Seed bead Flower-chains, a simple charm or crystal bracelet or an easy to string beaded necklace (lanyard for your glasses).

Techniques taught will cover a wide range of how to’s and don’t do’s along with basic finishing touches.  No special equipment is necessary, I bet most of you have at least several pairs of pliers at home, those will work great!

Thank you for stopping by and having a look.  If you are interested in the class you may leave a comment, e-mail, or phone, details will be given at a later date.

Studio Time

Greetings,

This morning’s post will be brief.

This afternoon I will be attending an introductory class at Jo-Ann‘s Fabrics as a sit-in, to watch the class, the instructor, and to see how things go with lesson plans and schedules.  I am kind of excited.

The studio is currently in state of disarray as I attempt to get prepared for the Flea Market this weekend, beads, wire, bits of stuff is everywhere and needs to be packed and put away.   We do have some new items on the table, so come on by and have a look.  We’ll be at the Fair Grounds.

Treasure Valley Flea Market

Enrolled in a Jewelry and Metal Arts Class, the first project is due soon and I am in need of materials to finish it up, shopping is also agenda.

Yes, all of that is wonderful, but what is going on in the studio?

Weaving Bracelets.

Making Earrings.

Re-doing the Etsy Shop

Paring down and reorganizing the sites and web presence.

Yes, always busy.

Thank you for stopping by, it is Wednesday, and the work week is almost done!

Featured Artist – Dremel or Rotary Tools

Instead of a Featured Artist today, I thought it would be fun to discuss tools.  No, not those kinds of tools, I mean the tools you use for crafting or DIY projects.

My friend, who is very knowledgeable about these things, and I were discussing Flex Shaft Machines and other shop / studio equipment, that is used during the process of creating, art, molds, jewelry, sculpture and even household repairs.

A “Dremel” is a brand of Rotary tool.  What’s a rotary tool?  It is a motorized shaft with a small accessory “heads” for sanding, buffing, polishing, cutting, drilling, etc.  Mine are ancient!  Here is what a new Kit looks like.  Dremel Tool Kit.

Not all of them are heavy duty like that one.  I was introduced to this cool little item during the conversation, and will share the videos with you now.  Youtube, as I have learned, has a wealth of neat instructional and tutorial videos on just about anything and everything you can imagine.

This nifty little piece of equipment that allows you “hands free” work. The Dremel 2500-01  Multi-Vise

Here is an instructional video on the Multi-Vise

What started all this talk of tools and various uses and attachments? A Flex Shaft Machine.  Here we see its uses in carving Green Jewelry Wax, as well as manual (hand-held) tools.

And I think that’s all for today. 

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.  Questions and comments are always welcome.  The weekend is almost here, we would like to wish you a pleasant day.

In My Studio – Chain Maille and Beads

Currently I am working on several things, however I have been talking about learning a new weave, the Full Persian.  Much like the Box or Inca Puno Weave, as well as the Byzantine weave, the jump rings are grouped together, flipped, turned, and closed to create units, each unit forms a link, the links then form a chain.

The Full Persian begins with a Box weave, and additional jump rings are added to the unit to create a link that that consists of six rings, instead of four.  In the photos below a red bead marks where I have stopped the chain pattern.  I like the addition of the bead so much that I slightly opened already added jump rings to let me know where the other beads must go to complete the pattern.

Jump rings and pliers are all that is required to create and produce this very pretty and complicated-look chain.

 

I have also been tucked away at the Bench working on Brochure Projects for Jo-Ann Fabrics.  I now remember why I don’t bead.  If you have the knack and the talent CONGRATULATIONS! Tiny uncooperative things make my head hurt, needles prick my finger and the thread gets tangled up, but I suppose it’s not art if you’re not bleeding.  Diagrams and poorly written or confusing instructions don’t help either.  Just a personal observation on my crafting abilities.

Don’t laugh, it took me three days to figure out this pattern.  As an example of what I may be teaching and what kind of Advanced Jewelry Making Classes you can sign up for and learn by doing.  From Jo-Ann’s “Link -n- Bling” project.  6/0 Amethyst Czech Glass Seed Beads are woven flat in a Figure 8 or infinity symbol weave, rows are counted and the beads are then laced up along the length of the vertical edge and sewn together to form a Circular tube.  Since no one has signed up for this particular class, I do not have to finish the project.

With the Treasure Valley Market next week and then again in July, I suddenly find myself very busy, perhaps even over extended to the point of burnout.  This is not good.  What does one do when burnout begins?  One takes a  break, a respite, a walk in the woods, and then reorganizes and prioritizes and gets it done!  That being said, many of the irons I have in the fire are either just sitting due to lack of attention, or so red hot that they take up the majority of my time, leaving everything else behind to be caught up with later.  I will be paring down some of the things to better manage my time and the business.

Although I just opened and listed things on Cafe Press they want the shop owners to put a lot work into promoting the site instead of their shop, and  I have gotten ZERO response, so I will be closing that down.  The Official Website will be downgraded to little more than information and the shopping pages will be removed as customers seem to click through from the site to purchase items on Etsy instead of the direct “Buy” button.  

I have also started to attend classes to upgrade my skills.  A combination of Hands-On Training and Internet Reading Material and Examinations, I must carve out enough time to complete the course work, that means limiting or eliminating some of the other things that aren’t working or producing results in favor of study and class project time.

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.  We would like to wish you a pleasant rest of the week.